The two teams will square off with a single game on Friday, April 30 at 6:00 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, May 1 at 4:00 p.m.
The 'Bows remain the lone undefeated team sitting atop the Western Athletic Conference standings and need just one win this weekend to capture its third regular season title. But the upset-minded, and second-place Fresno State Bulldogs stand in their way.
A pair of freshmen lead the 'Bows at the plate. Freshman shortstop
Jessica Iwata is hitting .404 overall (61-for-151) and .522 in conference action. Iwata also leads the squad with a UH single-season record, 20 doubles. Freshman centerfielder,
Kelly Majam, is right behind Iwata with a .403 overall average and is leading the 'Bows with 62 runs scored, two triples, 25 home runs, 49 RBI, slugging percentage (.975) and on-base percentage (.515). Third on the team is junior third baseman,
Melissa Gonzalez, who is hitting .388 on the year (64-for-165) with nine doubles, 18 homers and 43 RBI.
In the circle, reigning WAC Pitcher of the Week, sophomore
Stephanie Ricketts, is 20-6 overall and 11-0 in the WAC. She fired her first career perfect game last week against the Wolf Pack. It was her third no-hitter of her career. Freshman
Kaia Parnaby is 18-5 and 6-0 in conference after picking up two wins last week at Nevada.
Hawai'i continues to lead the nation in home runs (123) and slugging percentage (.650) and is second in scoring with 7.6 runs per game. Majam leads the NCAA with 25 home runs and .5 homers per game, while Iwata is third in the nation with 20 doubles.
Scouting the Fresno State Bulldogs (33-14, 12-3 WAC)
Head Coach Margie Wright has her Bulldogs primed and ready after coming off a three game sweep of New Mexico State at home this past weekend. As a team, Fresno State is hitting an even .300 with five players overall hitting over the .300 mark while they lead the conference in pitching.
On Offense...
Fresno State is led by Haley Gilleland's .389 average (58-for-149) with a team-high 16 stolen bases. She has posted solid numbers across the board with 33 runs scored, 11 doubles, four triples, and three home runs. Andrea Ortega is hitting .361 (48-for-133) with a team high 13 doubels. Caitlin Stiglich is hitting at a .359 clip (42-for-117) and Michelle Moses has been the power source with five doubles, and a team high 16 home runs. Moses has also scored a team-high 37 runs and leads FSU with 49 RBI. Moses also leads the team in WAC play with a .429 average (21-for-49), seven homers, and 19 RBI.
Pitching...
Moses has also been stellar in the circle for the Bulldogs, with an 8-0 record and a 1.11 ERA in 82.0 innings pitched. She has tossed two shut-outs while holding opponents to a .166 average with 23 walks and 109 strike outs. In conference, Moses is a perfect 5-0 with a 0.79 ERA in 44.1 innings with 60 strike outs. Mackenzie Oakes is 11-6 overall with a 1.96 ERA in 93 innings pitched. Oaks in WAC play is 2-3 with a 1.66 ERA in 25.1 innings pitched. Morgan Melloh has seen the bulk of the action on the mound, with a 14-8 overall record and a 2.71 ERA in 129.1 innings. She has walked 53 while fanning an amazing 188 batters. She has held opponents to a scant .219 batting average. In conference, Melloh is also a perfect 5-0 with a 2.85 ERA.
Fresno State vs. Hawai'i Series Information
What: Hawai'i (39-11, 17-0 WAC) vs. Fresno State (33-14, 12-3 WAC)
When: Friday, Apr. 30 at 6:00 p.m.; Sat., May 1 at 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Where: Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium (1,200)
Ticket Information: Admission is FREE; Parking is $5.00
Television: Saturday's games will be televised on KFVE The Home Team. Veteran broadcaster, Jim Leahey will handle the play-by-play with Lori Santi as the color commentator.
Streaming Video: Available at uhstreaming.oceanic.com
Live Stats: Live in-game stats are available at HawaiiAthletics.com
Coaches: Bob Coolen is in his 19th season at the University of Hawai'i with a 706-423-1. Overall in 24 seasons as a head coach, he has amassed a 778-516-1 record. Fresno State's head coach, Margie Wright, is in her 25th season with the Bulldogs where she has tallied an impressive 1,215-401-1 record. Overall in 31 seasons, she is 1,378-493-3.
Series Information: UH has won 14 of 73 games against the Bulldogs. But last season, UH won the last two games to take the series for the first time at Fresno State. The first win was a 16-inning marathon game that UH won 7-4 (longest game in UH history), and the 'Bows held off the Bulldogs, 2-1 in the series finale.
Promotions: Ballpark Bingo prizes are courtesy of softball series sponsor, California Hotel & Casino. Saturday is Senior Night and the first 500 fans at the doubleheader will receive a team photo courtesy of UHFCU. After the series, senior night plaque presentations will be made by UHFCU. Fans will have the opportunity to get autographs from the players after the Senior Night plaque presentation by coming down on the field.
